Officials to commemorate shopping center

September 19, 2013

PARKERSBURG - County and city officials will gather 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Park Shopping Center to commemorate its contribution to the retail community.

The event will feature presentations by Parkersburg Mayor Bob Newell and Wood County Commissioner Blair Couch. The ceremony will focus on the center's long and successful history serving the area and is expected to end around10:45 a.m.

Couch said Wednesday the event both celebrates existing businesses and encourages new development.

Article Photos

Photo by Jeff BaughanThe Park Shopping Center in Parkersburg .

The Park Shopping Center "has been a hallmark in the county as a shopping facility," he said. "This was an investment made in our area decades ago."

Couch said while often the goal of the city and county are to attract new businesses, officials also must thanks those businesses who have served the community over the years.

"My father (Dave Couch), when he was a county commissioner, said it was 'all well and good to try and attract new businesses, but let's not forget the ones that have stuck by us,'" Blair Couch said. "Sometimes we get so interested in the new business we can attract we forget about the ones that have been with us for decades. We want to encourage and support existing businesses, and we need to make sure the community is aware that we are aware of their value."